The destruction so far

The builder has removed 99% of the neighbour's tree. There is just the bottom trunk still to be cut down to the ground. Their plan was originally to take out all the roots (including any on our side of the boundary), but my solicitor strongly advised them not to (it would have damaged the foundation of my garage).

It turns out that all that lovely mature ivy hedge was using their tree as a support. There is still some growing on the ground on our side of the boundary, but as you can see, there is now a huge gap where this section of the hedge boundary used to be. So they have achieved their goal of destroying the ivy.

We were never 100% sure who owned the rose bush, but now it is clear .... it is ours. However, again this shrub was using their tree as a climbing support (their tree sent out many side branches). We got home last night in the dark, to find our rose bush spread out on the ground. We struggled to get into our turning area of the driveway. I have now pruned this rose back severely to give it any chance of ever blooming again.

The neighbours at one point last week tried to argue that their tree was actually owned by both of us, but now that the ivy has been cut away, we have discovered another concrete boundary post, which clearly shows that 100% of the tree is on their property. The concrete post is pretty much touching their tree trunk, and as it is against the law to remove one of these boundary posts, they will have to cut the tree trunk down to the ground (somehow).

Just in front of the tree trunk is a wooden post, which we have always used for our washing line. This is now clearly show to be on our side (although again, we were never 100% sure because of all the vegetation).

Since the builder spared our rose (although it was a 40ft rose, and now it is 3ft), I am hoping that some of the cottoneaster hedge will also be spared.